A Short Introduction To The Philately Of Palestine

The Stamps of Palestine 2000

Easter 2000 / Year of the Children 2000 /
Visit of the Pope to the Holy Land 2000 / Bethlehem 2000 (booklet) /
President Arafat in Berlin 2000 / Marine Fauna of the Mediterranean 2000 /
The Blue Madonna 2000 / Christmas 2000

Easter 2000

Palestine issued a stamp series on 23.04.2000 commemorating Easter as well as the celebrations "Bethlehem 2000": the five stamps (denominations: 150, 200, 300, 350, and 650 Fils) and the block (2,000 Fils) depict three more Giotto works. The stamps were printed by Cartor Securty Printing, La Loupe (France) in sheets of 10 (2x5). Total value: 3,750 Fils. Print run: unknown. Perforation: K 13.25
Two official FDCs were issued: one contains Zobbel nos. 138–142, the other Zobbel Bl. 15, both with a special first day postmark dated 23.04.2000.

Year of the Children 2000

A series of stamps was issued on 15.05.2000 commemorating the "Year of the Children" and depicting four children's paintings. The four stamps with a total value of 900 Fils (50, 100, 350, and 450 Fils) were printed by Bundesdruckerei GmbH Berlin in sheets of 10 (5x2). Print run: unknown. Perforation: K 13.75.
An official FDC was issued with the stamps cancelled by a special first day postmark dated 15.05.2000.

Zobbel

Value

Size

Perfor.

Printed

Notes

144

50f

35x35mm

K 13.75

n/a

sheets of 10 (5x2)

145

150f

146

350f

147

450f

Visit of the Pope to the Holy Land 2000

On 31.05.2000 Palestine issued a series of stamps commemorating the "Pilgrimage to the Holy Land" (20–26.03.2000) of Pope John Paul II. to Jordan, Palestine, and Israel. The five stamps, denominated at 500, 600, 750, 800, and 1,000 Fils (total value: 3,650 Fils) depict the Pope meeting President Arafat (500, 750, and 1,000 Fils), the Pope holding mass (600 Fils), and contemplating in the Grotto of the Nativity in Bethlehem.
The Stamps were printed by Bundesdruckerei GmbH Berlin in sheets of 10 (5x2). Print run: unknown. Perforation: K 13.75.
An official FDC was issued with the stamps cancelled by a special first day postmark dated 31.05.2000.

Zobbel

Value

Size

Perfor.

Printed

Notes

148

500f

35x35mm

K 13.75

n/a

sheets of 10 (5x2)

149

600f

150

750f

151

800f

152

1,000f

'Bethlehem 2000' Stamp Booklet

On 28.06.2000 Palestine issued a stamp booklet as part of its series commemorating the "Bethlehem 2000" celebrations.
The booklet contains seven sheets (ie. 14 pages) of which three contain one stamp each at 2,000 Fils. The images used are from paintings by Fra Angelico, Giotto, Gentile da Fabriano, and a photograph by Jean-Paul Véret-Lemarinier (more details). The booklet exists in two versions:
• red tape (regular version): Zobbel MH 001
• gold tape (believed to be a trial version by printers Cartor): Zobbel MH 001b
The size of the booklet is 156x99mm, its total value 6,000 Fils. The booklet was produced by Cartor Securty Printing, La Loupe (France) using 22 carat gold applications. Print run: unknown.
No official FDC was issued for this stamp booklet although sets of three FDCS (each with one sheet) cancelled 29.06.2000 do exist.

President Arafat in Berlin 2000

A series of two stamps was issued on 21.08.2000 commemorating the state visit of President Yasir Arafat to Germany, the stamps depict Arafat meeting Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (*1944) and Federal President Johannes Rau (1931–2006) and are headed "Berlin – A Landmark on the Path to Peace". The two stamps are denominated at 200 and 300 Fils, respectively, the total value is 500 Fils. They were printed by Bundesdruckerei GmbH Berlin in sheets of 10 (2x5). Print run: unknown. Perforation: K 14.
An official FDC was issued with the stamps cancelled by a special first day postmark dated 21.08.2000.

Zobbel

Value

Size

Perfor.

Printed

Notes

156

200f

43.2x26mm

K 14

n/a

sheets of 10 (2x5)

157

300f

Marine Fauna of the Mediterranean 2000

A sheetlet was issued on 8.11.2000 depicting animals living in the Mediterranean. The eight stamps, all denominated at 700 Fils, were printed together se-tenant (4x2) in one sheetlet sized 174.7x105.8mm, with a total value 5,600 Fils. The sheetlet, Zobbel ZdKb 8, was printed by Bundesdruckerei GmbH Berlin. Print run: unknown. Perforation: K 13.75.

An official FDC (sized 255x177mm) was issued containing the entire sheet, Zobbel ZdKb 8, bearing four strikes of the special first-day postmark dated 8.11.2000.

Zobbel

Value

Size

Perfor.

Printed

Notes

158

700f

35x35.3mm

K 13.75

n/a

printed se-tenant in a sheet of 8 (4x2):Zobbel ZdKb 8

159

700f

160

700f

161

700f

162

700f

163

700f

164

700f

165

700f

(block: size reduced to 3/4)

The Blue Madonna 2000

A block was issued on 9.12.2000 on the occasion of Christmas depicting a detail from the painting "The Blue Madonna" by Palestinian artist Ibrahim Hazimeh (*1933). The block contains one stamp denominated at 950 Fils and was printed by Bundesdruckerei GmbH Berlin. Print run: unknown. Perforation: K 14:13.75.
A FDC was issued, bearing a special first-day postmark dated 9.12.2000.

Additionally, Bundesdruckerei GmbH Berlin produced a folder for Chistmas 2000 (sized 105x210mm, pictured below), with Zobbel Bl. 16 point-glued into it. A part of the cover is cut out to make part of the stamp visible. The folder is known with (sent by the embassy as Christmas/New Year's greetings card) or without (sold by the stamp trade) the signature of Palestine's ambassador to Germany, Abdallah Frangi.

Christmas 2000

Palestine issued a stamp series on 25.12.2000 commemorating Christmas as well as the celebrations "Bethlehem 2000": the six stamps (denominations: 100, 150, 250, 350, 500, and 1,000 Fils) and a block (2,000 Fils) depict three more renaissance paintings.
The stamps were printed by Cartor Securty Printing, La Loupe (France) in sheets of 10 (2x5, 5x2 for 350 and 1,000 Fils), the block contains one single stamp. Total value: 4,550 Fils. Print run: unknown. Perforation: K 13.25.
Two official FDCs (sized 272x155mm) were issued: one contains Zobbel nos. 167–172, the other block Zobbel Bl. 17, both with the same special first day postmark dated 25.12.2000.